New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-27
A STATE WEATHER SERVICE.
ENTERPRIs E OF PROFESS OR FUERTEs.

FOR Tng FARMERS AND RURAL DIsTRICTS-HEAD-
QUARTERS AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY.
ALBANY, March 26.-Assembyman Walter G..
Smith. of Tompkins has introduced bill providing
for State Weather Service in NewYork similar TO
that in other parts of the country. While the appoint
ment of two commits 'ioncrs nominally to direct tie
work contemplated the practical effect Of the measure
u to put Professor E. A. Fuertes OF Cornell University
in charge of the service which will be conducted by
volunteer observers who will send their reports to their
chief at Ithaca. Foremost among the lenehts arising
from State Weather Service are those derived by
the farmers. Precise Information about ialhial,
rosts the moisture the the recurrence OF storms
and other facts bearing upon planting harvesting
and tiilage and affecting the lives OF cattle, She p
horses and poultry IL collected and then disseminated
for the benefit OF agrcultuIiss In some States the
W Gather Service is conducted by the State Agr-
cultural Bureau.
The Washington Weather Bureau. when once an
organization is effected III each State furnishes the
latter with daily forecasts. which, by railroad trains
and local flag signals at humorous points, are con
veved TO the rural districts where newspapers do not
bring the usual weather indications in time to DC
OF any service A State Bureau does much to BRING
right home to the people in manner not othelwlso
possible the advantages OF "A National service inc
information collected by numerous State observers
too, being reported TO Washington 'echta'cS VIC
study OF meeOroogy and leads TO the improvements oil
the Government predictions
Such a service will also stimulate popular study of
weather science secure valuable Data Tor physicians
about the climate and healhtuness OF various parts OF
the State, establish accurate standards Tor meteoro
merits OF numerous summer resorts in the Empire
State Professor Fueres who has consented to direct
this work, urged to do so by the N3shington
Weather Bureau two years ago, aud has the nearly
support of General Greedy in his Efforts. Tho
Professor has given much attention to meteorology
having Tor five years made weather forecasts Tor
Ithaca, OF which So PER cent were verlned lie
has at Cornell equipment OF inst uments proDaDlY
not surpassed anyw here else in the country; ana N
his lectures has done mach to excite interest III souh
meteorological ideas.
The enterprise is entirely u-parti.an and as most
of the work is done by volunteers, the expense IL IN
significant New England has weather society per-
forming this work Tor xix States at once. bureau
started in NewJersey laet tall, which Is already
in effective oIeratiOn One Is III process OF formation
in Penns, lyania Ohio has had Tor several years
and more than halt OF the Wesein States and three
or Southern States have been thus provided for
anywhere from one to ten years. 49,
1t is interesting tact that pioneer work III this
direction has already been done by Newl ork State
Under the auspices of the Regents OF the University
observ atoms taken at siXtytwO academies ana
colleges during part all OF the period from $50 10
1850 and carefully edited by DE- l. kOneAh feck,
Iona principal OF the Albany Academy and SECRETARY
OF the Board of Regents. In the earlier years ne was
assisted by Joseph Henry, aiterward superintendent
OF the Smithsonian Institution. The scheme had the
approval of scientists III this aud other states
At that time, however. meteorologA was speculative
rather than practical the did not then exist Or
utilizing the information obtained which are now
aI ailabc and the data secured not put at the
disposal OF the farmers. The work was discontinued
principally because the movement had then become
National, and Pit thought that II could be better
conducted at Washington than by the States siDgiy
Siuce then it has become apparent that while some
portions countrys weather service can be con-
Quoted to advantage only by F~1era Bureau, others
Can be and more advantageOu>ly performed by
in two-thrds OF the States OF the Union within
the last